Electric and hybrid electric vehicles often use sources of high voltage such as battery packs or fuel cells that deliver direct current (DC) to drive vehicle motors, electric traction systems (ETS), and other vehicle systems. A power inverter is typically used to convert the source DC signal to an alternating current (AC) signal which is directed to, for example, an electric traction machine or other AC system. Because such systems often use a significant amount of power, many of the components within the inverter including integrated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) modules and power diodes may generate considerable heat. Accordingly, other accompanying components within the inverter such as, for example, gate drive circuit boards are often exposed to elevated temperatures especially during periods of peak power demand.
Because the performance characteristics of many electronic components can be affected by high temperatures, power inverters generally include a cooling system to dissipate heat. Such a cooling system typically includes a heat sink having a large thermal mass that may assume the form of a manifold thermally coupled to the primary cooling system of the vehicle and configured to cool individual components. For example, the gate drive circuit board is typically thermally coupled to the surface of the heat sink through a pre-formed, resilient, thermal interfacing pad positioned between the board and the heat sink. The circuit board is then typically fastened to the heat sink against the resilience of the underlying pad to secure the board and improve thermal contact by compressing the pad. In this case, however, heat transfer may be hindered because of a lack of conformity between the pad and the often highly irregular surface of the board.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an electronics assembly for a vehicle having a thermal interface that provides improved heat transfer and vibration dampening to electronic components such as circuit boards. Further, it is also desirable if such an assembly reduces circuit board deflection and part count, and is simpler to fabricate. Furthermore, it is also desirable to provide methods for fabricating such an assembly. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.